A single strontium atom is illuminated by a laser while suspended in the air. The extraordinary photo was taken by David Nadlinger, from the University of Oxford.
When illuminated by a laser of the right blue-violet colour the atom absorbs and re-emits light particles sufficiently quickly for an ordinary camera to capture it in a long exposure photograph.
References:
- A scientist captured an impossible photo of a single atom - Quartz
- Single trapped atom captures Science Photography Competition's top prize - EPSRC
Posted from my blog: https://gdsteem.hdat.eu/science/impossible-photo-of-a-single-atom/18/